Uuno Klami
Encyclopedia
Uuno Klami was a Finnish
composer. He was born in Virolahti
. Many of his works are related to the Kalevala
. He was also influenced by French
music, in particularly by Maurice Ravel
and the group Les Six
. Klami is probably the only composer who has participated in five armed conflicts (2 wars in Karelia
, the Finnish Civil War
, the Winter War
of 1939-40 and the Continuation War
of 1941-44).
Klami studied music in Helsinki
with Melartin and later in Paris
and Vienna
. His main works include the Kalevala Suite and the unfinished ballet Whirls. The oratorio Psalmus (1936) has a unique place in Finnish sacred music and is one of the most highly regarded works by a Finn other than Sibelius. Klami also experimented with the symphonic form in his two Symphonies (1938 and 1945) and Symphonie enfantine (1927), and the concerto form in his two Piano Concertos (No. 1 Une nuit à Montmartre and No.2 for Piano and Strings) and the Violin Concerto (1943). Being a master of miniature orchestral works, the orchestral suite Sea Pictures is also regarded as one of his major achievements. On the recommendation of Sibelius he was granted a small lifetime income from the government. In 1959 he was made a member of the Finnish Academy (one of Finland's highest honors).
The energetic Karelian Rhapsody was the first Finnish orchestral work to be published in Finland, and a long-time favourite in radio concert programs.
Klami died of a heart attack
in Virolahti at age 60 while sailing his favorite boat "Miina".
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
composer. He was born in Virolahti
Virolahti
Virolahti is the southeastern-most municipality of Finland on the border of the Russian Federation. It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Kymenlaakso region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
. Many of his works are related to the Kalevala
Kalevala
The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
. He was also influenced by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
music, in particularly by Maurice Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
and the group Les Six
Les Six
Les six is a name, inspired by The Five, given in 1920 by critic Henri Collet in an article titled "" to a group of six composers working in Montparnasse whose music is often seen as a reaction against the musical style of Richard Wagner and impressionist music.-Members:Formally, the Groupe des...
. Klami is probably the only composer who has participated in five armed conflicts (2 wars in Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
, the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
, the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
of 1939-40 and the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
of 1941-44).
Klami studied music in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
with Melartin and later in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. His main works include the Kalevala Suite and the unfinished ballet Whirls. The oratorio Psalmus (1936) has a unique place in Finnish sacred music and is one of the most highly regarded works by a Finn other than Sibelius. Klami also experimented with the symphonic form in his two Symphonies (1938 and 1945) and Symphonie enfantine (1927), and the concerto form in his two Piano Concertos (No. 1 Une nuit à Montmartre and No.2 for Piano and Strings) and the Violin Concerto (1943). Being a master of miniature orchestral works, the orchestral suite Sea Pictures is also regarded as one of his major achievements. On the recommendation of Sibelius he was granted a small lifetime income from the government. In 1959 he was made a member of the Finnish Academy (one of Finland's highest honors).
The energetic Karelian Rhapsody was the first Finnish orchestral work to be published in Finland, and a long-time favourite in radio concert programs.
Klami died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Virolahti at age 60 while sailing his favorite boat "Miina".
Major compositions
- Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 8 "Une nuit à Montmartre" (1925)
- Scenes from a Puppet Theatre (1925, orch. 1931)
- Karelian Rhapsody, Op. 15 (1927)
- Symphonie enfantine, Op. 17 (1928)
- Opernredoute, Op. 20 (1929)
- Cheremissian Fantasy for Cello & Orchestra, Op. 19 (1931)
- Hommage à Haendel, Op. 21 (1931)
- Sea Pictures (1930-32)
- Scenes from a Country Life (1932)
- Sérénades joyeuses (1933)
- Lemminkäinen's Island Adventures (1934)
- Helsinki March (1934)
- Karelian Dances (1935)
- The Cobbler on the Heath - overture (1936)
- Psalmus for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1932-36)
- Suite for String Orchestra (1937)
- Symphony No. 1 (1937-38)
- In the Belly of Vipunen for baritone, men's chorus, & orchestra (1938) (from "The Kalevala")
- Suomenlinna - overture Op. 30 (1940)
- Kalevala Suite, Op. 23 (1933-1943)
- Concerto for Violin & Orchestra, Op. 32 (1943)
- King Lear - overture, Op. 33 (1944)
- Symphony No. 2, op. 35 (1945)
- The Prodigal Son - incidental music to the play by Marin DržićMarin DržicMarin Držić is considered the finest Croatian Renaissance playwright and prose writer.- Life :Born into a large and well to do family in Dubrovnik, Držić was trained and ordained as a priest — a calling very unsuitable for his rebel temperament...
(1945) - The Cyclist - rondo for orchestra (1946)
- Suite for small orchestra, Op. 37 (1946)
- Karelian Marketplace, Op. 39 (1947)
- Revontulet / Aurore boréale ("Northern Lights") fantasy for orchestra, Op. 38 (1948)
- Concerto No. 2 for Piano & Strings, Op. 41 (1950)
- All'Ouvertura, Op. 43 (1951)
- Tema con 7 variazioni e coda for cello & orchestra, Op. 44 (1954)
- Song of Moon Lake for baritone & orchestra (1956)
- Pyörteitä (Whirls) - ballet inspired by the Kalevala (Act One piano score orchestrated by Kalevi Aho, Act Two completed, Act Three lost) (1957-60)
- The Bearer of the Golden Staff Cantata (1960-61)
Sources
- Aho, Kalevi & Valkonen: "Uuno Klami: Elämä ja teokset" Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö, Helsinki, 1999
- Korhonen, Kimmo: "Inventing Finnish Music" Finnish Music Information Centre 2003
- Lehtonen, Tiina-Maija: "Uuno Klami/ Works" Suomen Kultuurirahaston Kymenlaakson rahasto 1986
- Tyrväinen, Helena: "The Success story of the man who forged the sampo" Finnish Music Quarterly 2/2000 pp. 2-11